HOUSTON – A study out of the University of Houston showed screen time for toddlers under 3 years old watching age-appropriate apps, along with parents’ engagement, can promote creativity, learning, and problem solving.
“I think the world we’re living in we’re surrounded by technology. Right? Everywhere you go,” said Viviana Mendoza, a mother of two.
It’s a sign of the times.
Mendoza allows her daughters, 6-year-old Sophia and 1-year-old Chloe, to have screen time.
“I think it is important that we introduce them and now even my 6-year-old, she’s in first-grade, most of her lesson is through technology, through an iPad,” Mendoza said.
For years, parents have been told technology is unhealthy for children.
The American Academy of Pediatrics previously recommended no more than two hours of screen time a day for children and absolutely no screen time for those under 2 years old. But even that has changed.
“You have to keep in mind that technology is here to stay. It’s not going away,” said graduate student and co-author Hechmi Kilani.
That’s why Elena Grigorenko, a distinguished professor of psychology, along with graduate students at UH, led a study focused on how it impacts toddlers.
Over five weeks, they watched a 2-year-old boy they named “Ryan” use a tablet to navigate educational apps and sit beside his caregiver.
“We had to work in pairs, look at that footage and carefully pay attention to every single little behavior, like his affects, when the caregiver talks, when he, you know, swipes, when he taps,” Kilani said.
They said when it looked like Ryan was bored or distracted, he was actually “mind-wandering.”
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“What was happening up here was that his mind was wandering away from the problem, giving him a moment to solve it and then come back and be able to learn,” said graduate student and co-author Melissa Razo.
“He started exploring more and taking initiative and working by himself more and not really listening, not really seeking out the caregiver because he became more proficient and more curious and that curiosity is really important because that’s right for him to learn,” Kilani said.
The study also stressed the importance of engagement with a parent, sibling or caregiver.
“While the caregiver did not give him actual instructions on how to play a game or how to navigate between apps, the caregiver did give him encouragement and praise when he was able to do something and asked him questions that encouraged his exploration,” Razo said.
“I am relieved because I feel like there is a lot of shame towards that and that’s one of the things I disagree with,” Mendoza said.
For parents like Mendoza, she’ll take advantage of the benefits of technology, but keep a balance in their daily lives.
“I do feel strongly about a balance because we still need to learn how to write and figure out how to maneuver in the world without technology,” Mendoza said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents to limit screen time, encourage regular playtime, specifically outdoors, and get involved.
They also said parents should be aware of what apps their kids are on. More than 80,000 are labeled educational.
Organizations, like Common Sense Media, review age-appropriate apps, movies, and games.